Vintage Movie Resources

The woman who rose above defeat. Above an unhappy marriage that cast a shadow over her girlhood. Above illness and pain. Above disappointment and heartbreak when she lost her contract with United Artists. And now she returns, happily married to Cedric Gibbons, triumphant over illness, more radiant than ever in “The Dove”.

Paul Robeson was not only the best-known African American actor of the early 20th century, he was also a bass baritone, concert artist, athlete, and activist; a truly remarkable personality who became famous both for his cultural accomplishments and for his political stances.

In the 1930's, African Americans were not widely featured in the mainstream press, and we believe that this piece from Picturegoer Magazine provides interesting insights.

Note: This text was published in 1937 and some readers might find some of the writing offensive.

Ever since I left Rosalind Russell I have been poring over the fancy nourishes beneath the Declaration of Independence — through John Hancock, the Adams boys and Button Gwinnett.

So far I haven’t uncovered a Russell. Only a very unusual inspiration, I’m sure, could drive me to such extensive historical research and abstract speculation. But then Miss Rosalind Russell is indeed unusual. She is a Declaration of Independence walking.

Sessue Hayakawa and Anna May Wong have been away from American movies for several years — winning stage triumphs in New York and European capitals. They’ve now returned to Hollywood to win back screen honors.

Note: This text was published in 1931 and some readers might find some of the Asian stereotyping offensive.

Writer Rob Wagner visits Anna May Wong at her parent's home and they talk, among other things, about racism in Hollywood.

Note: This text was published in 1928 and some readers might find some of the Asian stereotyping offensive.

Exquisitely hard-boiled 19 years old Louise Brooks is interviewed by a awed journalist, and this is how the interview starts: 

“I live only for my art,” Louise said. “I read nothing but instructive books.” She looked up from beneath her long lashes to see how it was going.

After Katharine Hepburn’s tender, sympathetic portrayal of poor silly, pathetic Alice Adams, she can snatch back that seat on the top of the Hollywood heap.

In the two previous installments (April 1928 | May 1928) of her fascinating story, Miss Garbo told of her lonely childhood in Sweden and of her first ambitions to become an actress. As a young girl she entered the Royal Dramatic School in Stockholm and while she was still a student, Mauritz Stiller discovered her screen possibilities. Her first European picture was a great success but, because of bad financial conditions in Europe, her career seemed at a standstill when Stiller met Louis B. Mayer in Berlin. Mayer signed a contract with both Stiller and Miss Garbo. At the end of the summer, Miss Garbo sailed for America. She was shy, strange and she knew no English. But she had high hopes and expected to find New York carpeted with flowers. Now read the final chapter of this engrossing life story.

“The World Of Susie (sic!) Wong” — First a book, then a play, then a movie. On Broadway, William Shatner, of Star Trek fame, played the role that William Holden later took over in the movie. Would Captain Kirk have gone different if he had played Robert Lomax for a cinema audience as well?